Residual drip arrester for bottles



Nov. 13, 1962 P. s. HOPKINS RESIDUAL DRIP ARRESTER FOR BOTTLES Filed July 11, 1961 Inventor Attorney 3,063,590 Patented Nov. 13, 1962 3,053,590 RESEJUAL DRE? ARRESTER FGR ROTTLES Peter d. Hopkins, Muttontown, N.Y. (1R0. Box hi2, East Norwich, Long Island, N31.) Filed July 11, 196i, Ser. No. 123,214 2 (Ziaims. (Ci. 215-1095) This invention relates to a means for arresting residual drip from bottles, for example from wine bottles. It relates particularly to such a means which arrests residual drip by absorption. It relates more particularly to such a means which is easily applicable to a full bottle having a neck size lying anywhere within a relatively wide range of sizes, and it relates still more particularly to such a means which is easily and inexpensively disposable with an empty bottle.

Suppose that a bottle containing wine or another liquid be tilted at an angle from the vertical to pour liquid from this bottle into a vessel of smaller volume such as a wine glass. Upon the glass becoming filled or nearly filled, the bottle will be turned back up to at least a more nearly vertical attitude to cut off the flow of liquid. It happens in many instances, however, that liquid flow is not cut otf absolutely cleanly even though the bottle be straightened up abruptly. In such instances, liquid is left on the lip or rim of the outlet opening or mouth of the bottle upon the apparent cessation of flow, and thereafter runs down the outside surface of the bottle. This running down is known as residual drip. It may carry liquid all the way down along the bottle, that is, along the full length of the neck and body of the bottle to the base or bottom thereof.

Residual drip is objectionable for at least two reasons. The first is that it leaves a bottle wet and sticky to the touch. Gbjection for this first reason is particularly significant when a bottle is not to be emptied at a single pouring, but instead is to be used to fill several glasses or other relatively smaller containers with a cessation or cut ofi of liquid flow between successive fillings. The second is that it causes Wetting of any surface on which the bottle is set down in a substantially upright attitude, assuming that liquid is in fact carried all the way along the outside surface of the bottle to the bottle base. Objection for this second reason is particularly significant when a bottle is set down on the surface of an absorbent material such as tablecloth linen which is susceptible to not only wetting but also staining by the residually dripped liquid.

According to the present invention, a means is provided whereby residual drip from bottles may be limited in extent; that is, whereby residually dripped liquid may be arrested from running down along a bottle any farther than to about the lower part of the bottle neck. By this means the bottle body is kept dry for non-sticky grasping, and, of course, with its body dry there will be no residually dripped liquid on the base of the bottle to wet and/or stain any surface on which the bottle is set.

In its fundamental apparatus embodiment, the residual drip arrester of this invention comprises a slightly angled or somewhat curved or arcuate strip or portion of absorbent material characterized by a substantially longitudinally oriented slot usually somewhat nearer to one of its ends than to the other, this slot having a length approximately the same as the mean width of the strip in its region at and adjacent its end from which the slot is farther removed.

As the residual drip arrester of this invention is used, its end farther removed from the slot according to distance measured directly along the strip of absorbent material itself is given a partial twist and passed through the slot so that a small portion of the strip adjacent this end extends beyond the slot, and a rather large closed loop is formed by the strip. When the residual drip arrester is of multi-layer construction, that is, in the simplest practical instance, when it comprises a layer of absorbent material bonded to a layer of relatively non-absorbent material, this loop is formed so that it has the absorbent layer providing its inner surface.

After the aforedescribed loop has been formed, the residual drip arrester is dropped or slipped onto a bottle with the bottle neck extending through the loop and the ends of the strip which the arrester comprises extending generally toward the base of the bottle. Passage of the residual drip arrester along the bottle will be terminated by the bottle itself either as the cross section area of its neck increases to cause the outer surface of the neck to bear and Wedge against the inner surface of the arrester loop, or else as the residual drip arrester strikes against the body of the bottle in the case of a bottle having a neck of substantially uniform cross section area and a body enlarging abruptly from this neck.

When the residual drip arrester has been more or less located longitudinally on the bottle which it is to serve, its ends are manipulated to tighten its loop around the bottle for providing substantially full bearing of the absorbent inner surface or" the loop on the bottle neck. Any residually dripped liquid coming down this neck now Will be limited in its travel and indeed fully arrested as it tries to pass by this absorbent surface being, of course, soaked up by the absorbent material itself.

The nature and substance of this invention will be more clearly perceived and fully understood by referring to the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 represents a plan view of a plurality of residual drip arresters according to this invention joined in perforated sheet form;

FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of a residual drip arrester according to this invention with one of its ends passed through its slot to provide a loop having an absorbeut inner surface;

FIG. 3 represents an enlarged perspective view of part of an end portion of the residual drip arrester of FIG. 2 particularly showing the multi-layer construction thereof;

FIG. 4 represents a perspective view of the residual drip arrester of FIG. 2 dropped onto and around the neck of a bottle but not tightened thereupon, and

PEG. 5 represents a perspective view of the residual drip arrester of FIGS. 2 and 4 tightened upon the neck of a bottle.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, especially to FIG. 1 thereof, a flat and relatively thin sheet 6 comprises a plurality of residual drip arresters partially defined by and separable along parallel rows of perforations. in particular, sheet 6 comprises serially joined residual drip arresters 8, 10, and 12. Arrester 10 taken as essentially typical of all arresters in the sheet is of non-linear configuration. Specifically this arrester is of slightly curved or arcuate configuration, but it is also within the contemplation of this invention that a residual drip arrester have a slightly angled configuration when laid out flat. The visible end edges of arrester 10 are designated 14 and 16, while its upper and lower edges are substantially defined by perforation rows 18 and 29 respectively.

The thickness dimension of residual drip arrester 10, while not ascertainable directly from FIG. 1, is small compared to the length of any visible edge of the arrester. It is in fact essentially the same as the narrower visible dimension of slot 22 in the arrester. This slot having an extended longitudinal aspect is located substantially centrally between perforation rows 18 and 20, and appreciably closer to end edge 14 than to end edge 16. Locally this slot is substantially parallel to the per foration rows bounding arrester 10. The length of slot 22 is approximately the same as the mean radial width of arrester 10 in the region of this arrester near its end edge 16.

The visible surface of residual drip arrester 10 is desig nated 24. All arresters in sheet 6 are taken as being of multi-layer construction, and for the particular case of arrester 10 surface 24 is that of a relatively non-absorbent material. For the purpose of one example, this material may be likened to the glossy paper whereto relatively small pieces of absorbent paper are bonded to make manually usable blotters, the glossy paper being suitable to have advertising and/ or informative or pictorial material printed thereon. For the purpose of another example, the material having surface 24 visible in F161 may be likened to the hard or waxy paper whereto relatively small pieces of absorbent paper are bonded to make inexpensive coasters for drinking glasses. In any event it is to be understood that surface 24 of residual drip arrester 10 is not the surface of an absorbent component or layer of this arrester.

Multi-layer construction of arresters according to this invention is remarked upon further in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3. Still with regard to sheet 6 shown in FIG. 1, however, it is to be understood that at least one advantage of multi-layer construction of drip arresters 8, 10, 12, etc., with one layer being of a flexible but relatively hard, non-absorbent nature, is that of providing controlled and improved characteristics of tearing along the rows of perforations as any arrester on an existing end of the sheet is separated from the immediately adjacent arrester.

With regard to their relation one to another, residual drip arresters according to this invention may of course be manufactured in forms other than that in which arresters 8, 10, and 12 are illustrated in FIG. 1, these particular arresters being joined in the form of a perforated sheet. Individual arresters may be manufactured as entirely independent, discrete items. On the other hand,

the perforated sheet arrangement may be extended to have particular arresters joined across and between rows of perforations not only along their long or non-linear edges, but also along their short or end edges. They might even be joined along the latter edges alone, and so be available in the form of a chain or linkage rather than that of a sheet.

While these and other forms of manufacture and/or joining of residual drip arresters are possible, the perforated sheet form appearing in FIG. 1 is deemed relatively economical and convenient. Individual arresters can be torn off from a particular sheet as they are needed. The sheets themselves, depending upon the number of arresters in each sheet for one thing, can be sold either singly or as a plurality of flat sheets in stacked and packaged array. A long single sheet could also be sold in rolled condition.

Referring next to FIG. 2, 110 designates a residual drip arrester generally similar to arrester of FIG. 1, and indeed differing only therefrom in being depicted with relatively smooth upper and lower or arcuate edges rather than with the scalloped or serrated edges which arrester 10 would haveif it Were torn out of sheet 6. Arrester 110 has end edges 114 and 116, and a longitudinally extensive slot 122. The end portion having edge 116 has been bent around, given a partial twist, and passed a short way through slot 122 so that a rather large closed loop is formed by the arrester, this loop having an outer surface 124 and an inner surface 126. Surface 124 is that of a material of relatively non-absorbent nature, while surface 126 is that of a material which is relatively highly absorbent.

On account of the non-linear or arcuate configuration of residual drip arrester 110 when laid out flat, and on account further of the longitudinal attitude of slot 122 in the arrester, surfaces 124 and 126 extend substantially vertically with the arrester looped as shown in FIG. 2. Desirably the arrester surfaces which particularly define the loop flare slightly outwardly toward their lower edges to give the loop the aspect of a hollow, truncated cone which is somewhat larger at the bottom than at the top.

If residual drip arresters according to this invention be supplied to a user in the form of either individual fiat items or flat or .rolled items in sheet-like or chain-like jointure, they can be easily bent and looped (after separation in the case of joined arresters) by the user to bring them into the condition shown in FIG. 2. On the other hand, as a matter of convenience to the user, it is within the contemplation of this invention that residual drip arresters be pre-bent and pre-looped by the manufacturer. The arresters would then be flattened to collapse but not undo their loops, and a plurality of arresters thereafter be stacked and packaged. Upon opening a package of prelooped residual drip arresters and withdrawing any particular arrester therefrom, a user would only have to squeeze or otherwise appropriately manipulate this arrester slightly and easily to open out its loop, that is, to bring it into the condition shown in FIG. 2.

Referring next to FIG. 3, residual drip arrester 116 is shown as being of multi-layer construction. Specifically, this arrester comprises two layers of material, 123 and 130, bonded together. Layer 128 having end edge 114 and surface 124 is a relatively non-absorbent material and may be a hard and glossy or waxy paper, although it is not necessarily limited to paper material. It may, for example, also be a textile or plastic material. Layer 130 having surface 126 (not shown in FIG. 3 but visible in FIG. 2) is a relatively highly absorbent material and may be soft and fibrous paper of blotting or towel stock, although it is not necessarily limited to paper material. It may, for example, also be a textile or a sponge material. In the cases of both layers 128 and 130, however, paper material is preferred at least for reasons of low cost of manufacture and contemplated single use of the finished residual drip arrester. The bond between layers 128 and 139 is efiected by any suitable method and means, and by itself constitutes no part of the present invention.

Layer 128 is considerably thinner than layer 130, and indeed it is within the contemplation of this invention that residual drip arresters be made of a single layer of absorbent material only, that is, lacking any non-absorbent layer corresponding to layer 128; One useful aspect of layer 128 is, however, that this layer provides residual drip arrester with some strength in tension and shear which may be needed when the arrester loop is drawn up snugly on a bottle neck as is described further hereinafter. Another useful aspect of layer 128 is that it provides some stability or local stiflness to the acutely pointed corner of the end region of arrester having edge 116 which will be useful in effecting initial penetration into and passage through slot 122 of this end region. These useful aspects are, of course, in addition to the useful aspect or advantage mentioned hereinbefore of layer 128 or its equivalent in the structure of residual drip arrester 10, namely that of providing controlled and improved characteristics of tearing of the arrester along rows of perforations.

Whether residual drip arrester 110 or any arrester according to this invention be of single or multi-layer construction it must be not only sufliciently thin to bend easily, but also not very resilient so that when it has been bent and looped and thereafter tightened around a bottle neck it will not have any particular tendency to loosen its loop and spring away from the bottle. This situation can be helped by having the narrower dimension of slot 122 so adjusted with respect to the thickness dimension of the arrester that the end portion of the arrester having edge 116 has a good rubbing fit on t -e bounding surfaces of this slot as it is pulled therethrough.

Referring next to FIG. 4, residual drip arrester 110 in its condition shown in FIG. 2 has been dropped or slipped onto and around neck 132 of a full bottle 134. Downward travel of the arrester has been stopped by outward flare of neck 132 as it increases in cross section area to blend into the body portion of the bottle. Initial outward flare of the loop of arrester 110 toward its lower edge, if such flare be present, provides at least slightly easier entry of the arrester onto the bottle neck as well as somewhat better initial conformation of the inner surface of the arrester loop to the outer surface of the bottle neck. In view of the adjustability of the arrester loop size by manipulation of one end of the arrester through slot 122, it is obvious that a particular residual drip arrester 110 is easily applicable to a full bottle having a neck size lying anywhere within a relatively wide range of sizes.

Referring finally to FIG. 5, the end portion of residual drip arrester 110 having edge 114 has been held and the end portion having edge 116' has been pulled as necessary to tighten the arrester loop on neck 132 of bottle 134 so that substantially full bearing of the absorbent inner surface of the loop on the bottle neck has been achieved. A residual drip arrester according to this invention is now in fully operative condition with respect to bottle 134. Any liquid which is residually dripped from bottle lip 136 as in a stream 138 and tries to pass between the inner surface of the arrester loop and the adjacent surface of the bottle neck will be soaked up by absorbent layer 130 of the arrester and never have an opportunity to Wet the body portion of the bottle or any surface on which the bottle is set.

After bottle 134 has been emptied, assuming it to be a wine bottle for purposes of example but not of limitation, it will most likely be thrown away. Normally there will be no need to remove residual drip arrester 110 from the bottle for the sake of disposing of either the bottle or the arrester. In the ordinary circumstance, the residual drip arrester of this invention is disposable right along with the bottle which it has served. The possibility of such easy disposal does not, of course, actually preclude removal of the residual drip arrester from the bottle by loosening of the arrester loop or by tearing. Such removal may be effected for the sake of separate disposal of the arrester if necessary, or for that of its reuse if desired.

It is intended to claim the foregoing-described invention in all its aspects to the broadest extent that the prior art allows.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture a residual drip arrester for bottles, said arrester comprising a strip of relatively non-absorbent material bonded to a strip of relatively highly absorbent material in substantially full surface coincidence from strip to strip to form a stripdike, multi-layer structure which is characterized by (l) a non-linear configuration, said structure being laid out flat, (2) a length dimension, a width dimension less than said length dimension, and a thickness dimension less than said width dimension, the Width dimension being the same throughout the length of the strip, (3) a first end region, (4) a second end region distantly removed from said first end region as measured along said structure, (5) an upper edge extending between said end regions, (6) a lower edge extending between said end regions, and (7) a throughgoing, fully-bounded slot, said slot having a length ap proximately the same as the mean width of said structure in its second end region and a Width essentially the same as the thickness of said structure, and said slot being longitudinally extensive in a direction substantially parallel locally to the longitudinal extent of said structure.

2. As an article of manufacture a residual drip arrester for bottles according to claim 1 of which said strip-like, multi-layer structure is characterized further by being bent and said second end region of said structure passing into and at least somewhat beyond said through-going, fullybounded slot so that a closed loop is formed by said structure, said loop having as its inner surface a surface of said strip of relatively highly absorbent material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 571,088 Hamilton Nov. 10, 1896 1,449,335 Latham Mar. 20, 1923 2,127,342 Neher Aug. 16, 1938 

